Knicks agree to sign Austin Rivers on multiyear deal

He reportedly opted out of his Rockets contract Thursday

11/22/2020, 11:18 PM
Sep 12, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Houston Rockets guard Austin Rivers (25) reacts in the first half of game five of the second round against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 NBA Playoffs at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports / © Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Houston Rockets guard Austin Rivers (25) reacts in the first half of game five of the second round against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 NBA Playoffs at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports / © Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Free agent guard Austin Rivers has agreed to sign with the Knicks, SNY NBA insider Ian Begley confirmed Sunday evening. Rivers' deal with the Knicks was initially reported as a one-year contract, but details later emerged that it would be three. Begley added that the final two are non-guaranteed.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who first mentioned the news of an agreement between the Knicks and Rivers, said the deal across all three years would be worth $10 million.

Rivers is the Knicks' 15th player on the roster, according to Begley. It was unclear if big man Ed Davis -- whom the Knicks landed Thursday in a trade with the Utah Jazz -- would remain on the roster or be waived, Begley reported.

The Knicks, however, made a move on Davis. New York subsequently agreed Sunday evening to trade Davis to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a pair of players and a future second-round NBA Draft pick.

The 28-year-old Rivers was set to make almost $2.4 million in 2020-21, per sports contract site Spotrac.com. He opted out of his deal with the Houston Rockets and became an unrestricted free agent Thursday, according to The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears.

The Knicks are set to be Rivers' fifth NBA team. As an eighth-year pro with the Rockets for 2019-20, Rivers averaged 8.8 points and 1.7 assists in 23.4 minutes over 68 regular-season games (four starts).

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